Parents want dungeon to change name of ride because 'it's offensive'

Bosses at York Dungeon have ignored calls to change the name of one of its rides following a series of complains from disgruntled parents.

Attraction owners Merlin claim they have received 'a number of requests' to alter the name due to the 'apparent rude nature of the nickname'.

Alamy

The 'Dick Turpin Ride', named after the infamous 18th century criminal, is set to remain unchanged, despite calls for it to be rebranded the 'Richard Turpin Ride'.

Yorkshireman Turpin was executed in 1739 for a litany of crimes, including killing, theft and burglary.

As part of the new ride, attendees sit in a darkened carriage while listening to spooky stories told from the perspective of Turpin, who at one point says 'stand and deliver' over a tanoy.

"The character is one of our most frightful foes, and we know how much our guests enjoy interacting with him along with our other rogues and rascals throughout our shows," York Dungeon general manager Mark Mattinson told Metro UK.

"Our Dick’s back carriage ride is the grand finale of our York Dungeon tour, and thousands of guests have already enjoyed this thrilling end to their visit.

"We were shocked to receive complaints to change his name but despite any potentially rude connotations, we’re here to say that Dick, is here to stay."

He defiantly added: "The York Dungeon is renowned for revealing the deepest and darkest secrets of the city’s unique past – whether that includes Dick or not."

Alamy

In response to the complaints, some took to social media to defend Merlin's decision to keep the name as it is.

"Its only offensive if you let it. How can all of a sudden people want to change the name of a person after hundreds of years in history they need to get a life," one user bemoaned on Facebook.

Howard Johnson, a co-owner of rival Yorkshire attraction Eden Camp Modern History Museum, echoed this sentiment: "A vote for common sense. Ignore these woke idiots."

The attraction situated in the historic city of York only opened last month, and was intended as the "grand finale" of the famed dungeon tour.

While the ride itself could be viewed as a rather odd ode to a serial criminal, the mythology surrounding Turpin helps explain the decision.

As The Metro state, he has repeatedly been rebranded as 'dashing and heroic' in English ballads and popular plays throughout the 18th and 19th century - something which television built upon thereafter.

In reality, Turpin was eventually hanged on charges of horse theft, with the true extent of his crimes only being uncovered long after his death.

Nevertheless, he lives on in infamy today - partly thanks to the all new ride in the town of his birth.